Introduction
Malcolm X, one of the primary African American heads of the twentieth century, had many changes. His views on race, politics, and religion underwent substantial shifts that eventually influenced his legacy. Scholars and historians are still debating what factors contributed to these transformations. Some contend that despite their race, the words and deeds of specific individuals were the leading causes of Malcolm’s ideas and attitudes changing. Others contend that his exposure to racist political and societal systems profoundly influenced his worldview. This essay will contend that although individual persons, both black and white, also contributed to Malcolm’s development, his views and the racist social and political institutions he faced throughout his life predominantly influenced his attitudes.
Malcolm X’s Ideological Evolution
Malcolm’s early experiences are an excellent illustration of how systematic racism affected his thinking. His family was regularly the target of racial violence and intimidation, as he describes in his memoirs, and they had to relocate multiple times to avoid white animosity. Malcolm’s family, for instance, was threatened with lynching in Nebraska, which prompted his father to move the family to Michigan (Haley 43). Malcolm’s initial impression of the world as one wherein White individuals comprised a consistent risk to the security and prosperity of Individuals of color was molded by these occasions, which significantly affected him.
Malcolm’s stay in Boston and Harlem serves as another example of how systemic racism affected his way of thinking. He started engaging in drug peddling, robberies, and other illegal activities at this time, which he blamed on the lack of opportunities in a racist culture. In his book, he says, “I knew that I was dealing with an enemy who never would let me strike first but who would, without the slightest provocation, quickly strike me” (Haley 98). Malcolm’s aggressive Black nationalism, which refused integration with white society, was influenced by his perception of the perpetual threat from white people.
Malcolm’s involvement with the American criminal justice system strengthened his conviction that racist mechanisms are ubiquitous. While incarcerated, he joined the Nation of Islam and started forming his beliefs on the inherent superiority of Black people and the necessity for a separate state. The brutality and defilement of the law enforcement framework, which he saw as an instrument of white mastery, were uncovered to him during his time in prison. In his journals, he adds, “I realized how much easier it was for the white man to get away with things like this than it was for the black man” (Haley 195). This insight strengthened his radicalism and his conviction that Black people should defend themselves against white oppression.
Although Malcolm left the Nation of Islam, his worldview underwent yet another fundamental transition that was nonetheless influenced by his encounters with institutional racism. Malcolm left the Nation and went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, where he encountered Islam in a profound way that caused him to change his mind about his earlier separatist beliefs. Nevertheless, he stressed the necessity of Black self-determination and denounced white supremacy even as he adopted a more universalist form of Islam. When he expresses, “I still harbor the feeling that, if white people could get past their racial hang-ups, they could be the best of what humanity has to offer” (Haley 354), he is alluding to his own racial biases. Thus, rather than any particular person’s influence, Malcolm’s turn towards a more inclusive worldview was motivated by his conviction in the universality of Islam and his understanding that white people might be partners in the fight against racism.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while Malcolm X’s contacts with specific individuals at different times in his life influenced his views and attitudes, his experience with systematic racism in America was the primary catalyst for his ideological development. His upbringing, time spent in Boston and Harlem, interactions with the criminal justice system, and separation from the Nation of Islam all exemplify how racial systems influenced his way of thinking. Individual interactions undoubtedly contributed to how he thought, but the larger social and political environment in which he lived was ultimately more important.
Work Cited
Haley, Alex. Autobiography of Malcolm X. BallantineBooks, 2015.